


Times Like These

by JasnNCarly



Series: Jon Moxley (Dean Ambrose) & You [12]
Category: Professional Wrestling, WWE, World Wrestling Entertainment
Genre: F/M, Tumblr, greygirlmoxley, jon moxley series, wwe imagine
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-31
Updated: 2016-07-31
Packaged: 2020-05-16 20:32:59
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 13,607
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19325578
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JasnNCarly/pseuds/JasnNCarly
Summary: Third part of Moxley series, takes place after "Know It's Not Over"





	1. Chapter 1

In the end, the decision was not totally made without some input. It had been Chavo who sat you down to have the painful, but honest talk about the future of Lucha. Though it had been a huge success, the show was in jeopardy and the wrestlers were in tense contract negotiations. He was teary-eyed when advising you, “You have to go, mija.”

So here you were – under brand new contract tomorrow. You had completed uprooted your life yet again, and you still wondered if it was the right thing to do. You missed your home, your hot spots, and your identity with your company. Now, you would start at the bottom again – off to your first day at the performance center tomorrow

You had been unpacking for the past week, but the home still felt a little unfamiliar – too new. Glancing over to one the in-tables, you found a picture of you and Jon. You two were young and goofy, making faces and unaware of how it might look years later; it never occurred to you that he would be your man, that he would have an unbelievable control over your heart. Now, he was everything to you

Your home had to change because it wasn’t just yours anymore; Jon had his things here as well as in his home in Las Vegas. The same worked for you, the two of you exchanging keys and adding your own touch to both spaces. It was a huge commitment for both of you, yet you had done it without a second thought.

The move from one coast to the other had taken a lot of work over the past month, but it felt right - until tonight. Tomorrow was your first real day with WWE, and you can’t even eat in anticipation of it. You wish Jon was here, but he had a commitment in another state. Breaking down an empty box, you set it by a trashcan then go to take a shower. The water pressure is a welcome treat as you try to relax, forget that tomorrow could be a dream or disaster.

You get out, throw on one of Jon’s t-shirts, and curl into a ball at the center of your now huge bed. Laying there, the only real light coming from the neon numbers of your alarm clock, you watch as the minutes pass – none bringing sleep closer

Shutting your eyes, you bring another pillow over your head and scream. Why couldn’t you just calm down?

All at once, you feel the weight of the bed shift and the pillow is removed from your vice grip. You hop up, turning on the bedside light, and turn to see his smirk leading to his darkened blue eyes. Relieved beyond any words, you throw yourself into him and hold tight, “I thought you had—”

“Let’s just say I owe someone a huge favor and their car back.” Jon kisses your cheek, giving you a strong embrace, and releases you shortly after, getting off the bed to undress, “I figured you’d be thinking too much about tomorrow.”

“I am.” You aren’t afraid to admit this to him; you are sure the only reason your blood pressure is coming down because he’s here to distract you. However, you pout when he gets into bed with his boxers still on, “Mox, I need you to put me to sleep.

“You also have to be at work at a decent time tomorrow. No marks to show off to coworkers.” He climbs under the covers with you, giving you a quick peck to your lips and pointing towards the lamp, “Come on, you gotta get some rest.”

“Fine.” You turn off the light and leave your back to him, immediately brought into his tight hold. Though his warm breath is like a welcome breeze, you know you need more than this…despite his warning. You reach up, spin your hair into a bun, and make sure he smells the scent of your hair as well as know your neck is exposed to him.

He groans, his forehead pressed the back of your head, “You’re not listening.”

“Do I ever?” You press your back to him, slightly grinding your hips until you feel his body react, “The sooner you do something about it, the sooner we can both go to sleep.”

He hesitates, lightly kissing the back of your neck, “I can’t promise to be…good if we do this. I haven’t seen you since last weekend.”

You breathe heavily at the feel of his lips in contact with your skin, “I don’t care what you do, just touch me, Jon.”

The use of his name puts him over as he tugs on your hip to bring you lying flat beneath him; you smile as his kiss leaves your lips swollen and his hands travel where you need to him to. Knowing he’s going to give you exactly what you need, you already feel more relaxed.

———————————-

You use liquid foundation to cover the marks on your neck, smiling when he comes up behind you and kisses the marks still exposed, “I’m nervous about today.”

“Don’t be.” Jon holds his head high, signaling you should do the same, “You’re going to go in and own the whole damn place. Then, hopefully, you’ll come up to main roster sooner rather later. Because I want us to make memories in hotels all over the place.”

You feel instant heat rush through you, the two of you staring in the mirror as his kiss accompanies his words, “It feels like I’m starting over.”

“You are…with me…” His stare burns into yours, so sincere your eyes mist up, especially as he adds, “This was how it was supposed to be a long time ago.”

“Right, no pressure.” You wipe your cheeks, hoping to get rid of your happy tears, “What if I go in today, and I blow this whole thing up. I suck and forget everything.”

“You won’t.” Jon moves his hands to your shoulders, promising, “It’s going to be better than you expect it to be.”

“I won’t know anyone there.”

“…I think you’ll be surprised how familiar that place feels.”

———————————-

While you were sure you would feel lonely being on a separate schedule, you hoped NXT regulars would befriend you when he was away. However, walking into the building, you felt like it was your first day of high school, a period of your life that sucked because you were too tough for your own good – too mouthy to get stuff done or stay in class. On top of everything, you couldn’t tell anyone who your boyfriend was, a popular one at that, because you both wanted to keep your business to yourselves.

You’re a little star struck by some of the wrestlers you see; you’ve seen some of them on the independent circuit, some as far as Japan. You suddenly feel like a very small fish among sharks. 

You release a large breath, stepping further inward and waiting for a contact to approach you. It isn’t long before your eyes are covered and voice in your ear.

“Do you know any conspiracy theories?”

“Oh my God!” You turn around to be face to face with a man now known as Solomon Crowe, but you knew him as, “Sami!” You shriek, throwing your arms around him and hold tight, “This can’t be real. You can’t believe how real I need you to be right now! 

He chuckles in your ear, lifting you slightly off your feet in a bear hug, “Yeah, Jon said you needed someone looking out for you; luckily, I was already hanging out.”

You had no idea why, but some divine intervention had worked in your favor again.


	2. Chapter 2

Time flew when you knew you had at least one person watching back, willing to show you the ropes and help you perfect the moves you thought would make you irreplaceable. It’s been almost six months since your debut in NXT, and there is talk of a move soon – an outcast that has no place among the ‘teams’. It’s got you pretty damn excited, so you work harder than ever. So hard that Jon misses you more now than when you lived in California, where you were so relaxed and stable that you didn’t spend all your time at the performance center.

“You all right?”

“Yeah, why wouldn’t I be?”

Sami (you keep forgetting to call him Solomon) stops your rapid pace on the treadmill, reaching over to take down your speed. Once you’re both walking, he squints his eyes at you, “You know you can talk to me, (Y/N). I don’t tell Mox everything.”

It’s true. Even though he’s basically Jon’s eyes on you 24/7, he only assures your boyfriend that everything’s fine. He tells him about progress, never a bad day, and he’s even let you valet him a few times in NXT to get you mixed up with the likes of Carmella.

“I know. I’m just…freaking out a little about the jump.” 

“Why? It’s exactly what you need and want.”

“I will be one among nine, Crowe.” There, you tried to get used to his new identity, “I am going to have cause trouble quick, and the ‘universe’ isn’t Lucha. I don’t know how much they’ll appreciate a bitch invading the established.”

“You don’t fit their mold,” You roll your eyes to him as he continues to walk beside you, holding his hands up proudly, “Like me!”

The track was a little too fast and dragged him to the back where he hopped off in a panic, bumping into a chuckling Bayley, “Are you okay?”

He gets tongue tied around her, and you’re stunned she seems so oblivious to it. You stop both treadmills, hoping he’ll speak but he only manages and awkward huff. Getting off your machine, you pat his shoulder and address Bayley, “He’s fine. I got him a little off his game, right?”

Solomon nodded, still not speaking directly, to which Bayley squeezed his bicep, “Well, be careful or you’re gonna hurt yourself.” Her sweet smile made the warning anything but offensive as she walked away to the women’s locker room. He watches her the entire time.

You shake your head, grabbing towels – wrapping your neck with one and slamming the other to his chest, “You better tell her sometime soon, man. Another guy’s going to get real brave before you do at this rate.”

“Right,” He lets out a sharp laugh, wiping his face and groaning, “What’s she going to see in me? Mox is the accepted basketcase, not me.”

“Not yet.” You encourage, an idea somewhat clicking with you, “…what if it could be though?”

“Meaning?” 

“Instead of me going completely solo…maybe we go up together.”

Solomon chuckles at your proposal, “We’d need a third to be a faction…a good one at least.”

“Yeah, and an untraditional one at that.” You rub your hands together, concocting a plan, “What if we had a basketcase, a bad ass, and…an awkward hugger?”

———————————-

You and Solomon had been discussing the possibility of your own ‘conspiracy’ all day, eventually taking it to the dinner where you and Jon were supposed to spend some alone time. The excitement for a support net was too much to put on a back burner, and Solomon was ecstatic at the prospect of the same. If he couldn’t work with Moxley again, he’d love to work with someone else who understood his madness.

“If we present this right, we can confuse the shit out of the audience! They won’t know whether to love or hate us, especially if we get Bayley.” You watch your phone, waiting for Bayley to announce her arrival, “Now, this means you’re going to have to talk to her, you know?”

“I can do that. What do you think the alcohol’s for?”

You snatch the beer out of his hand, slamming it to the table, “Do you want her to think you’re a total jackass or a reliable guy for her to follow up to the roster? Because she could just as easily say she’s holding out for the natural progression into the ‘four horsemen’ recreation.”

“You’re right.” Out of pure anxiety, he manages a quick swig from the bottle once more, then assures you, “I’m fine.”

“God, I hope so.”  You return to your chicken, sure you need protein to get into this conversation – taking care of everyone before yourself.

Like he’s a fucking mind reader, you feel his arms around your waist and his breath against your ear, “Should I be offended that you spend more time with Sami than me?”

You take a sip of your water, making sure your mouth is empty, then tease, “Nope, especially since you have him on bodyguard duty all the time.”

Jon ignores your comment, placing playful kisses on your neck and cheek before finding your awaiting lips. When he groans against your lips, you hear the loud clearing of Solomon’s throat and smile your way out of the kiss. Jon turns his face to his buddy, taking the stool beside you, “How you doin’, Sami?”

“Good, ever since your girl came up with—” He notes your weary look and stops himself, “new moves for the ring. Cool stuff we haven’t seen yet.”

Jon scoots closer to you, placing an arm on the back of your chair in a subtle possessive move, “Good, anything else I should know.”

Solomon decides he can divulge at least one piece of information, “Just that Bayley’s coming.”

“Oh, good! We can have a party!”

It’s clear Jon’s agitated. You know why. He hasn’t seen you in almost three weeks, conflicting schedules, and he was nowhere used to that anymore. Jon wanted to drink some beer, eat greasy food, and take you home. It was simple and perfect – in your opinion too – but not when this idea was at the forefront of your mind.

Solomon catches your signal for him to give you a minute, announcing, “I’m gonna go wait for Bayley outside so she’s not looking for our table.”

“Good idea.” You mouth ‘thank you’ and wait for him to step away before facing Jon, “So, I have to tell you—”

“Didn’t we say just us tonight?” Jon’s question cuts you off, his blue eyes filled with disappointment, “I missed you, not Sami.”

“Aw, baby,” You lean forward to give him a soft, lingering kiss, “that’s sweet.”

“Don’t give me that shit.” Jon moves away from your kiss, unable to hide his smile as you trail kisses along his cheek and to his ear, “You’re gonna pay for this later.”

“Gladly.” You nip his ear, happy with his restrained growl, and pull back to stare into his eyes, “Now, about what I was saying, I gotta plan…and you can’t be mad about it.”


	3. Chapter 3

“I know you think you’ve distracted me,” Jon laughs when you bite his lower lip, continuing to cuddle your nude body to his, “but we’re not done talking about this.”

“Should I get back to distracting?” You kiss a few different spots along his scruffy jaw until his hand travels into your hair and tugs you away, “I thought you weren’t going to get mad.”

You’ve been listening to his objections since leaving Sami and Bayley; the two wanted to continue discussing the ‘pitch’ to Stephanie.  You were hoping late night work would erase some of his shit talk; instead, he seems re-energized while staring into your eyes. You two lie on your side, warm and relaxed, you mindlessly caress each other’s skin – still needing the contact.

“Do you know how many things can go wrong with a faction? Do I have to go over the Shield mess with you? Seems like a good idea until it blows up in your face.”

“It’s Sami and Bayley! They are two of the sweetest people in the world!” You note his tension, reaching down to squeeze his behind and make him slightly press into you, “I know how to take care of myself. Would you just trust me?”

“More people, bigger target. I know you think going in as a faction instead of by yourself—”

“I will have more protection with them at my side too.” You give him a quick peck before pressing your forehead to his lips, “Just say you support me, no matter what.”

“I do, but—”

“No, don’t ‘but’ anything. Just say ‘I support you’ and stop there.”

Jon growls behind his pinch pressed lips, wanting to fight you, before fulfilling your request, “I support you.”

Your lips are immediately on his, as he groans in protest of your ideas but appreciation of your attention. You reach down until he groans again, needing to thank him for being so accepting. The second you’ve given him a few good strokes, feeling him harden at your touch, you can’t help but smile at his rough grip of your thigh, yanking it over his lap and moving you into a familiar spot above him. He sinks into you, the two of you letting out a satisfied breath at the filling sensation, and you can’t tell who’s luckier – the man who gets a part of you no one else has ever had or you for having his heart in a way that no one else could.

———————————-

“So, no one knows you two are—together?” Bayley got to know because the three of you would be working too close to hide it from her, “Wow, you really are private.”

“I just don’t want anyone to think I’m here for the wrong reasons, okay?” You trust her with your life, a part of your life that no one gets to touch or judge, “Sa—Solomon knew us a long time ago, and he’s really the only other person who knows. I hope.”

“I won’t say a word.” She mimics the zip of her lips before adding, “But it might be hard to ignore when you guys are around each other all the time, especially when you see other women doing everything they can to—”

Your look must be deadlier than you wanted it to be; she stops mid-sentence. It has never occurred to you how you will react while working in such close vicinity with Jon, seeing other women after him. You had not done well with it in the past; you may be worse than him when it came to being territorial. Why hadn’t you considered this until now?

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to make trouble.”

“Uh-oh, what’d you do?” Solomon asks as you two step out of the locker room, noting your locked jaw, “(Y/N)?”

“Text, Jon.” The words out of your mouth before you can really stop him, causing Solomon’s eyes to widen, “Tell him I have to see him right after we get back.”

“I can try, but—the schedule goes crazy at live events, and we’re going to have a lot of questions to answer for when we’ve done what we’re about to do.” Solomon takes into account Bayley’s nervous look then signals her to wait a second, pulling you closer to a wall and lowering his voice, “(Y/N), what did she say?”

“Is he getting flirted with all the time? Are there some bitches here who have been trying to bang my boyfriend? Because I swear if you knew and it has, I’m gonna kick both your asses!”

“What! No! I don’t know…I’ve been with you remember.” Solomon checks around the two of you, making sure no one is overhearing before his nostrils flare, “Look, you and I both know by now that Mox is very taken. He has been for years now. He loves and wants you; those are two things that I’m not sure that he’s had simultaneously with anyone else. Trust him. He’s had me watching you like a hawk because he’s terrified you’re going to go with someone else.”

“Why am I terrified?” You begin to hyperventilate, placing hands on his shoulders, “Am I freaking out? Because I feel like I’m freaking out and focusing on a possibility of Jon cheating calmed me down. Is that weird? I feel like that’s weird.”

“We’re about to change everything. I’d be letdown if you weren’t freaking out.” Solomon grabs your hand then bravely takes Bayley’s, getting loud, “LET’S DO THIS!”

———————————-

It is an unbelievable high you get when the crowd is confused by your presence; the three of you boldly attacking Tyson Kidd, Cesaro, and Natayla.

While Tyson and Solomon get into exchanging fists, you’ve tackled Cesaro to one corner and used your boot to drive continually into his abs. Whether confused or stunned, he does not put up much of a fight before you’ve driven him halfway into the mat.

As you help Solomon with the guys, Bayley attempts to distract Nattie. When she attacks instead, the switch is triggered for Bayley; she becomes vicious, clearly disappointed Nattie didn’t appreciate her play. When Bayley’s left Nattie laid out, she hops into the ring and helps you kick Cesaro out just as Solomon tosses Tyson through the ropes.

The audience boos you, something Bayley’s not used to. You and Solomon smile, savoring the sensation of the reaction, as Bayley tries to get used to her new role.

As you three take your spots for pictures, talking at the crowd, you know Jon is somewhere in the back – wearing his signature Moxley smile.


	4. Chapter 4

You can’t help but feel somewhat responsible for the exchange you see happening between Bayley and Solomon. After weeks of working together, he seemed less and less nervous around her and cool enough to make conversation with her. Meanwhile, Bayley seemed to be developing a crush all her own on the oddball. It was too cute for you to take in sometimes, but you were happy to have some part in it.

“They’re pretty cute together, huh?” Cesaro’s comment causes you to chuckle as you lean against the stone rail of the bridge, “You okay with being their third wheel?”

“Totally cool with it. They’re adorable.”

The six of you, your crew and Cesaro’s, were filming promos for tonight’s event. WWE had taken everyone overseas for a week of events, and the storyline was that Cesaro and TJ needed Solomon for back up against the likes of an emerging New Day; Nattie could use the back up as well from you and Bayley. Therefore, they were attempting to make “friends” with you, and it started with sightseeing in London.

Obviously, not everyone was a fan as you were constantly messaging with Jon.

_Oh, it should be fun watching my girlfriend hanging out with all kinds of other guys on TV tonight._

You shook your head, messaging back.

_As long as I end up in your bed, you will be okay._

“Are you seeing anyone?”

Cesaro’s question catches you completely off guard; you haven’t really been approached by anyone in the WWE. You had always assumed it was because of your association with Solomon; yet now that it was obvious something was starting with Bayley, you might not have that luxury anymore, “What was that?” You try to buy time.

Cesaro laughs, revealing a little nervousness, “Dating? Married? Applying to be a nun?”

You run a hand into your hair, biting your lip, “It’s complicated.”

“Oh, wow…” He gives a small nod then examines your hand, shrugging, “Well, no ring or anything means somewhat available yes?”

You open your mouth to speak when Solomon steps between you, patting your shoulders; he announces with a scary calm, “Next shot, kiddos!”

———————————-

Your nervousness and lack of wit with Cesaro has cost you. You know that Jon knows, whether because of Solomon or the way Cesaro lingers around you at the arena, and it provokes Moxley mode. He’s avoiding you, and he’s acting like he gives not a damn. All night you see him flirting with anyone who appreciates it, and he walks away each time you are too close to him.

It hurts, but a part of you suspected this would eventually happen. You know that by hiding your relationship you risked a new level of pissed off from him. The idea to keep your relationship secret was never his idea, and he had been questioning when you would be official since you jumped to main roster. You had no clear answer, asking for a continuance of what was working.

Now, you were getting noticed, and something had to change. Any games you liked to play, the mystery you liked to maintain, had to fade quickly or you risked losing him all over again.

The huge match six man match doesn’t help matters, as the promos have been playing throughout the night and you now stand in the corner with Nattie and Bayley. You know the implication is there are three set pairs – one being Cesaro and you as he continues to sneak looks and smiles your way. Storyline or not, you know this is adding fuel to Jon’s fire.

When you interfere, risking a real fight with Xavier, Cesaro picks up the win and you all join him in the ring. As he loosely hugs your waist, you know your man is no longer Jon – it is all Mox for the rest of the night. No hope for reprieve.

———————————-

You had gotten back to the hotel before the others, showering there then disappearing for a walk to a café down the street. Hidden beneath a baseball cap, buried in a hoodie and sweats, you sip a tea in the corner and constantly shield your face with a hand.

The quiet spot allows you to contemplate the way you consistently make messes, and all you want is your girl by your side. You do the next best thing, dialing her number and letting out a relieved smile appear when she greets you.

“What’s up, babe? Long time no talk.”

“Ive, you have no idea how much I miss you right now.”

“Uh oh, something must be wrong.”

“…you have no idea…”

“What is it?”

You are on the verge of tears as you confess, “I don’t know how to stop fucking up…”

“What do we gotta fix now?” You hear her car shut down in the background as she sighs, “Tell me everything, and we’ll figure it out.”

———————————-

_Where are you? We need to talk._

His text message means the world to you, more than he’ll ever know. Even if he’s pissed at you, you know it’s too early for him to have out-fucked-up you. He hasn’t had enough time to leave the arena, shower, and drink enough to disappear into a skank. You begin to head back, texting quickly,  _On my way._

Ivelisse had advised you to own up to your bad idea, ask him how he would like to handle it in the future, and just give him enough good love to forget. You didn’t feel incredibly sexy or desirable right now, but you know she’s right.

You are careful, checking your surroundings before using the spare key he gave you. You enter his hotel room, shutting the door softly and locking it. You hear the water shut off, and you make your way over to his bed. Slipping off your sneakers and hat, you sit on the edge of bed and crisscross your legs, creating a small circle to bury your nervous hands.

When Jon finally comes out of the bathroom, he has not bothered to get dress – wearing only a towel around his waist. His hands smooth his hair back as he moves to a slow seat beside you, his voice low, “Hey.”

“Hey.” You try not to cry, but you know this is your fault. He’s been patient; he’s worked with you; and your heart could so easily be crushed with two words from him: NO MORE.

Jon rests his hands on his thick thighs, somewhat growling, “You get why I’m pissed right.”

“…I do.”

He can’t look you in the eyes as he professes, “…I don’t want to do this anymore, (Y/N).”

There it was. That simple. It’s over.

You don’t have the heart to convince him he’s wrong. You’ve put him through enough already. You were lucky he had given you a second chance at all.

“I understand.” Your mouth is slightly slacked as you get off the bed, getting ready to gather your things only to have him catch your hand, “…what, Mox?”

“Where are you going?” Jon’s eyes are bright with confusion, his brows meeting in frustration.

“You said—”

“Yeah, I’m not hiding us anymore. No matter what you say.” Jon’s words cause your heart rate to spike, especially as he grabs your other hand, lacing your fingers, “Did you honestly think I was going to let you go again, (Y/N)?”

“I—I don’t know what to think right now.” Your tears finally win the battle, making trails down your cheeks as he tugs you into the position of straddling his lap, “You have every right to be mad. I’d be beyond pissed…”

“So, stop making me a secret.” He reaches up, using the back of his index finger to wipe your tears, while his other hand secures you to him, “And stop thinking I’m gonna run from you every chance I get. That’s your habit, not mine.”

You dab your cheeks with your sweatshirt sleeves, “Oh! Great, Mox, let’s twist that knife again.”

“How many times do I have to tell you that I’ll never let you go again  _before_ you believe me?”

Jon’s words cut you even deeper, yet you need to hear him say it. It’s stupid and foolish; but you don’t love normal. That’s part of the reason you and he work so well.

“I love you, Jon. I won’t leave unless you ask me to.” You curl fingers into his wet hair, admitting, “I thought that’s what you were going to ask me tonight.”

“You’re mine.” Jon squeezes you close, resting his forehead to yours, “That’s not gonna change, even if I have to kick baldy’s ass to prove it.”

You giggle, relieved by his statement, as you place your hands on either side of his face and kiss him with a promise that the night is all about him.


	5. Chapter 5

Upon rolling over in the morning, you can’t help but laugh at your man beside you. His biceps slightly flexed as his arms are curled under his pillow; resting on his stomach, he mumbles something in his sleep between snores.

You curl up to him, your body slightly pressing against his, as your fingers play with his hair and scruffy jaw line; wetting your lips, you whisper in his ear, “Come back to me…”

The request registers in a small smile on his lips as he takes a deep breath; making his usual angry grunt as he wakes, stretching his muscles, his eyes blink open – teasing you with their changing blue hues.

Your heart is flooded with love and relief that he’s yours; he’s never thought for a second of the horrible conclusion you had. Lifting his arm, you snuggle closer to him and stifle a giggle as he happily smothers you – lips immediately in a lazy dance with yours.

This is where you find your joy, in his arms and indulging his tender kisses. Amazed at how this man can completely fix your world within a single embrace, you snake your arms around his neck and deepen your kiss – the slow sensual massage of your tongue bringing you a weird calm and serene. It was always magic with him but, the moments like this where it was a means of just loving each other, you know how blessed you truly are to be his.

He breathes heavily against your lips, taking a moment to break your kiss to slip inside you, and his hand grips a handful of your hair as he stills for a moment, simply savoring the feeling of your body’s tight hug around him.

“I love you, Jon.” Your thumbs caress his scratchy cheeks as he gives you access to his stare once more, “You have no idea how much I need you…always.”

He begins to move, motivated to prove his words, “I love you, too, (Y/N).” With a few quick pecks, Jon adds, “I won’t let you run from me again…I can’t.”

You rock your hips against his, moaning and tossing your head back – sure there’s no way you could ever leave him again, even if you tried.

 ———————————-

“Wow, you are being really obvious today.” Solomon gestures to the side of your neck, the slightly redden, purple mark peeking out of your t-shirt, “You sure you ready for questions.”

“He’s right, Sami.” You continue to prep for your match with him; the two of you stretch in anticipation of a match you are starting in less than thirty minutes, “I’ve let our relationship be a secret for far too long. I don’t want or need anyone else, and I’ll beat a bitch if they try to take him from me.”

“That’s—that’s healthy.” Solomon laughs, the two of you in a makeshift locker room and waiting for Bayley to return; a small monitor in the room, he gestures towards the screen, “Speaking of the lunatic…”

A new pride swells within you as you watch Jon mount the turnbuckle, reveling in the audience’s uproar. A t-shirt hugs his upper frame as he clearly tries to conceal the marks you had left on him; the fact that you know they are there just makes your smile widen.

“Oh, geez, you two make me sick.”

“Don’t be jealous!” You hit his shoulder, your cellphone’s ringtone tearing your attention from the screen, “Hello?”

“(Y/N), it’s Angelico.”

“Angelico?” Your heart stops, all your previous happiness drained completely from your body, as you register his tone, “What is it? What’s wrong?”

Solomon is closer, a hand on your shoulder.

“It’s Ivelisse, man…she’s hurt.”

———————————-

You know it’s a bad idea. This is the worst way to make it known, but you are a mess. You have a match that you can’t fuck up, and you’re not even near your partners. Ignoring people’s curious stares as you rush around the back of the arena, you only search for your sanity.

Ivelisse’s condition is stable, but her injury is going to cost her months of her career. Lucha’s not sure how they’ll use her, and Ivelisse wasn’t even up to being on the phone. She’s your kindred spirit sister, and you are not right there for her. You should be; the guilt eats at you as the tears form in your eyes. You fail her, even when she just talked to you about how to keep Jon.

When you find him, he’s wrapping up a money promo – selling all his ideas with ease. You wait for them to wrap, ignoring the girl’s stare as his eyes meet yours, and then you rush to him. Arms tight around his waist, you bury your face against his sweaty shirt.

Jon’s arms encircle you without a second’s hesitation, his voice in your ear, “(Y/N)? What happened? What’s wrong?”

The concern encases his words, making it clear he’s not even thinking about the statement you’re making in front of everyone – instead, he knows you’re not okay and wants to fix it.

“It’s Ive…she’s hurt.”

Jon deeply inhales the scent of your hair, pressing his lips to the top of your head, and strokes your hair, “How bad?”

“She’s shelved for months, Mox…” You pull back enough to look into his eyes, comforted by his calm watch over you, and release a shaky breath, “I should be there.”

“Then you will be.” Jon tucks your hair behind your ears, kissing your forehead, “Take care of your match, and I’ll talk to someone about a flight tonight. Try to focus on what’s going on in the ring, and I’ll have everything ready to go when you come back.”

———————————-

Your match was a blur as you and Jon get settled in for the incredibly long flight.

The night has exhausted you, but the anxiety keeps your eyes wide. His arm is around your shoulders, forcing you to stop searching the flight impatiently, “We’ll take off soon.”

“I just want to be there already.” You cannot thank him enough for pulling whatever strings he did to make the two of you get back to the states earlier, get to Ivelisse sooner. Yet your mind is in frenzy, not completely accepting his incredibly mature patience towards you.

“There’s nothing else you can do this second, and you have to get some rest before we get to Los Angeles.” Jon’s rough hand gently combs your hair until you have locked eyes with him again, “Please? For me, (Y/N).”

You curl up to him, blinking back tears and nuzzle his neck, “I haven’t said thank you. I haven’t said how much I appreciate what you’ve done. I haven’t even said I love you. I’m freaking out, and you are so fucking calm it scares me.”

“You need me to be right now.” Jon rubs your arm, happy to hold you tight, “I can be what you need me to be now, (Y/N). I’m not a kid anymore.”

A sad smile emerges on your lips at his proclamation. It was true. Jon Moxley is not the same guy he was when you were dragging him out of bars, arguing with him in alleyways, and driving you nuts with mixed signals. Instead, he’s reserved the craziness for the ring and is somewhat Zen with you; he’s downright reasonable when you are still somewhat senseless.

“Even when this started?” You tilt your head upward, voice soft and sincere, “You were everything I needed you to be, Mox.”


	6. Chapter 6

Uncomfortable and out of place: that is the best way to describe Jon as he stands beside you, watching for the floor you’d been directed to. He continues to hold the colorful arrangement you had found in the gift shop downstairs, and your heart melts at his selflessness. You had meant what you said.

Somehow, Mox had always been what you needed. As ‘kids’ drinking and living day-to-day, he was your obsession – both of you happy to be each other’s only family, only thing you could always rely on. Now, as he rushed to get you to Ivelisse, he was your calm – your center. When you ran, he would catch you; when you messed up, he would help you put everything together again. You are so in love with him that you don’t know what to do except stand on your toes and plant a kiss on his cheek bone, whispering, “Thank you…for everything.”

“Anything for you, you know that.” Jon laces your fingers, taking your hand and guiding the way to the hospital room, “This is it.”

You give a small knock, stepping in and immediately locking eyes with Ivelisse; she offers a weak smile as Angelico takes a step back from her side, “There’s my girl.”

As soon as the words leave her mouth, you have the confirmation you need to rush her; hugging her tight, you speak with the last of your held breath, “I got here as fast as I could.”

Ivelisse returns your embrace, relieved in tone, “I know. I’m just happy you’re here at all.” When you finally pull away, she looks to Jon, “Suppose I have you to thank for that.”

Jon grins, setting the flowers on her bedside table, “Any news on your leg?”

“They’re trying to figure it out.” Ivelisse looks over to Angelico, “ Lucha’s writing it in though so I guess I should be happy I get to limp on television.”

“As long as you’re okay?” You clutch her hand between yours, insisting, “Everything else is going to fall into place.”

Ivelisse’s eyes gloss with tears, causing her to look to the men in the room, “You two mind giving us a minute?”

“Sure, I’ll show him to the cafeteria before it shuts down.” Angelico gives you an awkward smirk, igniting your curiosity as he steps in front of your man.

Jon squeezes your shoulder, awaiting your look at him over your shoulder, “Want anything?”

“I’m okay now.” You smile at him, giving a small nod, “Really.”

Kissing your head, he follows Angelico out of the room – no further argument though you’re sure he’ll bring you something anyway.

Once alone, you reach up to wipe some Ivelisse’s stray tears. You know she hates this. Hates feeling breakable or weak. This injury, the sudden flood of people, did not help those insecurities. You wait for her head to tilt towards you, a small pout on her lips, “There are a million men and women out there who fear your badass, even in this state.”

“As they should.” She tries to smile through tears as you finally release her hand to move to a seat on the bed, hip to hip with her, “I can’t believe you made it here before I got out. I don’t know whether to feel bad about that or not.”

“I was on a plane as soon as I got through the fucking match. I only stayed for that because Jon promised me he’d handle everything…and he did. On a plane, heading your way, the same night.”

“Well, shit, where do I find me one of those? A man who puts me first? Wow.”

“Ive…” Your tone causes her to roll her eyes, especially as you go on, “Has he left your side at all since you been here?”

She leans her head back into her pillow, “I don’t trust him. Let’s leave it at that.”

“Okay, but I think you know what I mean. And he’s not terrible to look at…” You await her glare then hold up your hands, “I get it. I’ll shut up.”

“No, you won’t.”

“You’re right. Because if I did or had, I may not have Jon now.”

Ivelisse blows out a long breath, hanging her head and picking at imaginary lint on her blanket, “Angelico was there when I got injured…he thinks it’s his fault.” Holding up a hand, she prevents your interruption, “I told him not to worry. He’s still been here for every second. I don’t get it. All I do is give him shit and fucking insult him.”

“Part of your charm.” You wink when she looks at you through her lashes, “Give him a chance, Ive. He might surprise you.”

“Right now, all I can think about is getting back in the ring. Anything other than that is a distraction I can’t afford.” She sniffles and wipes her nose, forcing a grin forward, “I saw the run with Bayley and Solomon is going well. Congratulations.”

“I don’t want to talk about that.” You brush her hair out of her face, your heart crushed as her lower lip begins to quiver in spite of her efforts to be strong, “What is it?”

“I can’t lose the ring, (Y/N). I—I just can’t.” She is on the verge of losing it as she goes on, “What am I gonna do? This is all I ha—have.”

“Shh…” You bring her into your embrace, relieved when she falls into your hold, “I promise you that’s not gonna happen. I will make sure of it…one way or another.”

———————————-

“God, it’s seems like an entirely different world over here.” You take in and push out a huge breath, slightly swinging his hand as you two approach the boundary of the roof; once your eyes get reacquainted with the landscape view of Los Angeles, your smile says, ‘I’m home.’

You lean on the stone support, chuckling, “Do you know people here think this is cold weather? Spoiled!”

Jon laughs, coming up behind you as his arms come to a circle around your shoulders, “I’m glad you’re feeling better.”

“I do.” You tilt your head a little, kissing his scruffy chin, “Thanks to you.”

“You’re giving me a lot of credit for something I had little to do with. I just—” Before he can finish his thought, your hand reaches around to pinch his behind, “Ow!”

“Take the damn compliment, Mox.” You cannot help but laugh as he retaliates with a playful nibble of your earlobe, “Stop!”

“Okay, but not for long.”

You grow warm in his embrace, still trying to figure out how one man can make your whole world right again with minimal effort. It is in the midst of this clarity that you unleash a heavy sigh, reminding him, “I made an idiot of myself before we came out here. You sure you want the rest of the roster knowing that you’re involved with an emotional wreck?”

“I dunno. Sounds like a good fit for my image.”

You feel his smile at your temple as you go on, “Since we’re on the subject of image, me not getting flirted with and all that, I want you to keep in mind the first girl who flirts with you now is getting her ass whipped. Don’t encourage it or I might get fired.”

“Damn, that possessive shit you do is a fucking a turn on.” Jon groans, squeezing you and copping a feel at the same time; when you bump your behind back against him, he laughs and takes a hand away, “I got my own means of demonstrating claim.”

You were going to ask him ‘how’ until he sets a tiny white box on the ledge in front of you; all humor lost, you stare at it without any movement.


	7. Chapter 7

Jon’s nerves dominate his speech, “I found it overseas, and I wanted to give it to you before we got back. But this happened, and I wanted to wait until…it made sense to give you something like this…since I haven’t really done it before. I hadn’t seen one like it, and I didn’t want to regret not getting it so I—”

“Mox! Can I open it or are you going to keep rambling?” Your excitement is unbearable as you decide the excitement of a gift from him is more important than any nerves; you pop open the box when his mouth shuts; you behold a beautiful platinum band: the center is a bold diamond and it is surrounded by smaller chocolate diamonds which emphasize its shine. An audible gasp escapes you as you stare at it, your fingers coming close to but refusing to touch it.

Jon releases you just enough to use your hips to guide you to a face-to-face with him, “I’m glad you like it.”

“Like it? I love it!” You shake your head, finding his moonlit eyes once more, “But—I don’t know what to say…”

“Good, then let me ramble.” He removes the ring from the case, snapping it shut and tucking it back into his jacket, “I saw something I hadn’t seen before, and it made me think of you. The only one of your kind.” Sliding the ring onto your finger, he uses his freehand to brush the hair out of your face, “Now, when people see this, there will be no doubt that you’re taken.”

Once he’s done, you throw your arms around him and slam your lips against his, an action he immediately welcomes. You break the kiss, breathless, “We need to get to the hotel, right now.”

Jon’s crooked grin reveals how excited he is by your order, “Yeah? Am I getting a present too?”

“This definitely deserves some reciprocation.” You pull him towards the door, wondering if you can find an empty room; however, your plans are gone when he yanks you back to him, “What?”

“Right here. Right now.”

“I’m not doing you on gravel. We’ll both be bitching for days.”

Jon takes you into his arms, bringing your back against the stairway door, “Good thing all I need is a flat surface to prop you against, huh?”

“Babe, as much as I would love to see how creative you could get here. I want to enjoy this without rushing, so let’s just head back to the hotel.”

Though he narrows his eyes, he drops you to your feet and allows you to lead him.

———————————-

Laughter slightly disrupts your kiss as you and Jon stumble into the hotel room; you remove your clothing when given the opportunity. The sight of Jon peeling himself out of his jeans and boxers is all you need to be absolutely gone; your lips encase his as you turn his back to bed and give him a gentle shove.

When he falls back, Jon slightly bites his lower lip, trying to prevent his wolfish grin, as he anticipates what you’re going to do. You love having control over him, and his recent ‘thinking of you’ gift just made you proud to possess him. You start by placing your body against his, your hand at his neck as your other hand reaches down to give a gentle squeeze. His groan gives your body instant heat as you move to kiss your way along every inch of his body.

When you note how hard he is, proud that you didn’t have to do much to get him there, you lick your way up the length of him before welcoming him into your mouth. The sounds you elicit from Jon’s mouth, the way he hands finally run into and grasp your hair, only make you more eager to please him. Swirling your tongue and sucking him like a lollipop, you take your time to enjoy the flavor of him – patient despite his eagerness. However, just as you anticipate sending him over the edge, he stops your motion all together. With an anxious kiss to your lips, you are pinned beneath him with one swift movement. You want to argue, tell him you weren’t finished yet, but it’s too late as he’s driven into your wet, warm welcome entrance.

You can’t think straight as Jon makes it clear he didn’t plan to finish anywhere but inside of you; you didn’t need much convincing as your fingernails dig into his skin and your moans grow louder with each of his thrusts, beautifully and blissfully overwhelmed.

Jon’s hand cradles your cheek and forces your stare to lock onto his, sharp huffs allowing him to give you a command, “Tell me you’re mine.”

You can barely hear anything over the tightening of your muscles, “You know I’m yours.”

“I wanna hear you say it.”

“I’m all yours, Jon.” You tighten your legs around him, locking your ankles, “Yours only.”

“All mine.”

You don’t know why he seems to be more turned on than before, yet he drives harder into you as his mouth traps yours and muffles the last sounds between you. Melting beneath him, you are sure your heart is going to burst. He’s your perfect somebody and, somehow, he’s continues to love you better, making everything possible.

———————————-

After a week in Los Angeles, you and Jon rejoin the tour in San Diego. It is a little weird to walk in, hand in hand with him, but the smile on his face makes it worth it. You are early to the arena, so you are somewhat relieved to see not everyone is watching you two. It will be enough once the internet gets ahold of it. You wanted to delay the reaction at work a little longer, keep it a rumor for now.

You give him a quick kiss, heading off in search of Bayley and Solomon. Once you track them down, talking extremely close while in catering, you almost feel guilty for breaking up the moment. Still, you sit and present a huge smile, “Boo!”

“Hey!” Solomon immediately backs out of Bayley’s space, his cheeks reddening a little, as he opens his arms, “Bring it in!”

You roll your eyes, giving him a big hug for only a second before Bayley has embraced both of you with a small laugh, “All right, you guys are squishing me.”

Bayley releases your body, yet immediately gasps while snatching your hand, “Is that the engagement ring? It’s gorgeous!”

“Engagement ring?” You laugh at her assumption, trying to explain, “No, Jon got this because…” But you trail off upon seeing Solomon’s avoidant look and pursed lips, “This wasn’t—”

Pulling your hand away, your doubts wiped away by Bayley’s apologetic look, “I’m sorry. I thought…”

“Son of a bitch!” You stand to your feet, stomping off in search of Jon before either of them could stop you; besides, the bastard couldn’t have gotten too far.

Taking your hell on wheels tour, you begin to go over the week in Los Angeles, especially that night. An engagement? It wasn’t out of the question, but the thought hadn’t even occurred to you. He didn’t ask ‘the’ question so how were you to know? That first night in the city, the high you rode while confirming Ivelisse was okay and receiving the extravagant gift, would have been the time to ask. Yet, you add up all the times he ‘claimed’ you that night and how you were so focused on others things. Maybe you had missed it? Had you said yes?

When you see him talking to Roman, the two laughing it up, you almost wonder if you should rethink your approach. Maybe you should avoid this until the two of you can be alone again. It’s too late when Jon spots you, patting Roman’s shoulder and beginning to strut towards you. God, could you imagine how much easier your life would be if you did not find everything he did so damn attractive?

“Tag match of my own tonight.” Jon announces, his smile on a slow fade as he registers your confused stare, “You okay?”

“Yeah, I—” No, be honest with him. He doesn’t want you hiding. “…I’m not. I’m trying to understand.” You lift your hand up and force the words out, “Is this an engagement ring, Jon?” He wets his lips, inhaling a deep breath which prompts you to go on, “I’m not saying no or that I don’t want it to be. It’s just—you didn’t really ask, and I’m an idiot because – if you did – I didn’t really catch it and—”

Jon grabs your hand, impatiently dragging you with him without announcing or giving a hint as to where you were going. You follow, your confusion becoming quickly replaced with anger again. Things grow increasingly uncomfortable for you as he takes you down the ramp towards the ring, panicking and surveying around you for the crew. While Jon clearly wasn’t concerned, you continue to image horrible images of and assumptions about you.

Jon sits on the rope and signals you inward; you open your mouth to protest, but he shakes his head and insists, “Get in.”

Frustrated, you swallow a scream in your throat and get into the ring as told to do. Once inside, you finally let your thoughts be known, “You’re just pissing me off, Mox. Tell me what the f—” You stop, turning around to find him on bended knee, and the anger completely disappears, “What are you doing?”

“Figured I’d only avoid doing this shit for so long.” Jon’s quip causes a small grin to appear at the corner of your mouth, bringing his dimples forward as he signals for you to come forward. Taking your hand in his, he stares up at you with his loving stare, “I met you in a ring like this, years ago, and I’m pretty sure I’ve loved you since that day. I was just too stubborn to admit, and it doesn’t help that you are as stubborn as I am.”

“Just ask the damn question, Mox.”

He kisses the back of your hand before resting your palm against his smooth cheek, reminding you of the fresh shave you had given him, “You gonna marry me?”

You get down on your knees, slightly shorter than him, as you wrap your arms around him and nod, “Abso-fucking-lutely.” Kissing him with a small laugh between you, you forget any prying eyes who may be watching and happily own being engaged…now that you know you are. 


	8. Chapter 8

“…marry me.”

You smile at his good morning, hugging his arms tighter around you, “I’m not sure how many times or how many ways I can say, yes…but yes, yes, yes.”

Jon kisses your bare shoulder, teeth grazing your skin before he adds, “Not if…when?”

“What you don’t want to have the longest engagement of all time? ‘Cause I was thinking…” You turn your head towards him, all humor fading at the sight of his anxious stare, “why when?”

“…how ‘bout Wednesday?” Jon has the eyes of an excited child, his dimples out even as he tries to conceal a smile, “We could make it to Vegas in an hour, and you could be Mrs. Moxley before house shows this weekend.”

“Wait, you’re serious!” You flop onto your back, out of breath and fumbling with your ideas, “Jon, we just got engaged!”

He’s undeterred, holding you tighter in an attempt to ease your doubts, “I love you, (Y/N).”

You run your hands into your wild morning after hair, “What about planning? What about friends and family? All that—stuff you’re supposed to have at a wedding.”

“I’ve got friends and family covered as long as we’re together. And, believe it or not, Las Vegas is perfectly equipped to handle weddings with no notice.” Jon begins to sprinkle your skin with butterfly kisses, flickers of his love for you, “I’m ready if you are.”

“I—I’m not though.” Your words cause his pecks to stop, some of the light fading from his eyes, and, now, you think on your feet, “I’m not doing some quickie, Elvis hosted, drive through wedding, Jon. We do this…I have some conditions.”

Suddenly, Jon’s stare is full of mischief and excitement again. Climbing on top of you, easily part your legs and propping his elbows on either side of your shoulders, “List your conditions so I can start handling this.”

You can’t believe his eagerness, but you love that he lives to claim you as his. Locking your legs around him, you reach down in between you to stroke him – hopefully buy some distraction time, “You are everything to me, and I want you to understand that. But the words ‘I do’ are not leaving my mouth unless Ivelisse is there.”

“That’s a phone call.” He manages to get the words out before your hands start to get the better of him; he shuts his eyes to maintain focus, “What else?”

“I want a real wedding. If we can actually get one of those beautiful hotels to give us some quickie wedding package, I’m fine; but it has to be a real wedding.”

“Mmm-hmm.” Jon rests his forehead against your shoulder, moving against your touch, but still trying to speak, “What else?”

“You will wear a suit, not a tuxedo, and I get a real wedding dress.”

“Okay,” He runs his hands into your hair, breathing heavily, “Please, wrap up the list already.”

“We gotta take the word ‘obey’ out of the vows.” You are listing things as they pop in your mind, teasing him with a wicked smile; when he gives you a slight pout, you bore your eyes into his and concede, “If you can do all that by Wednesday, I’ll marry you.”

“It’ll get done, but I got something else to do first.”

You laugh against his lips as he uses the morning to persuade you that everything is going to work out; if it were anyone but him, you would say they were crazy. However, as it was Jon, you were sure you had this craziness to look forward to for the rest of your life.

———————————-

“Ive!” You wave at her anxiously, pleasantly surprised at the sight of her company, “Angelico!”

When they are close enough (you have to wait for Ivelisse to maneuver her crutches), you embrace them both with a squeal. It feels wrong to be this happy, to be this certain of where your life is, but it is…and they are with you for it. When you pull away, you leave a faint lipstick stain on each of their cheeks.

They have smiles, not completely genuine, but you ignore it, leading them towards your ride, “We got a lot to get done in a short amount of time. The wedding’s at like 6pm, and we’re already at 10:30am. I still have to get the dress, and Jon could probably use another male opinion besides Solomon’s.” You’re trying to get used to your friend’s new tag, but you will not accept his influence on your man’s attire – thank God Angelico is present, “Not to mention I would appreciate it.”

Angelico looks to Ivelisse, slightly frowning at her uneasy glance, “A—all right. Consider it done.”

“Thank you!” You kiss his other cheek and open the trunk of your car, “Let’s get you loaded up.” Angelico signals that he’s got it so you move to the passenger door to signal Ivelisse inward, “Can I help you at all?”

Ivelisse gives you that look like she’s so damn dependent she needs no one’s help, and you hold your hands up in surrender, “But I want to sit in the back seat. It’ll be easier for my leg.”

Slamming the passenger door, you try to control your frustration at your girl’s obvious attitude and chalk it up to discomfort, “O….kay.”

After she’s situated herself in the backseat, you shut the door and go back to Angelico, whispering, “Is she okay?”

Angelico is cautious, loading the last bag, “She’ll be okay. Don’t worry.”

While you doubt it, you accept his conclusion with high hopes and get into car.

———————————-

You take them to the hotel on the strip, smiling as the valet takes your keys and another hotel employee loads the bags onto a cart to get Angelico and Ivelisse all checked in. You hadn’t asked about their hotel arrangement, you just told Ivelisse that it was on you. However, you can’t help but overhear that she and Angelico will be sharing a room – part of you takes great pride in this, but you keep your mouth shut knowing how she will act.

Once they’ve gotten their room information, they come back to you for instruction. You try to contain your excitement, explaining, “Do you need time to rest or anything? Or could we all meet back down here in fifteen minutes?”

“Well,” Ivelisse looks to Angelico who slightly shakes his head, but she continues, “what’s the plan? I mean—are you sure we can get everything we need to in such a short amount of time?”

“Yeah, the hotel takes care of all the details. We’ll get an hour of spa treatment then help with appearance. The photographer will take pictures of us during the ceremony and a few afterward. We have four witnesses – you, Angelico, Solomon, and Bayley. The legalities are all handled, and it’s just a matter of the glam details now.”

“You really got it all planned out, don’t you?” Angelico is impressed by your words while Ivelisse elbows him at the question and his grin.

“Yeah, Jon knew what I wanted and is making it happen. Guess that’s kinda why I have to marry him, huh?”

“What was that!” Jon growls at the side of your throat, standing behind you and embracing you in his strong arms, “I heard my name.”

“She was just telling us how quickly you got everything together.” Ivelisse responded, creating an immediate tension in your muscles, “It’s pretty impressive how quick this is all happening.”

You tilt your head, getting a glance of Jon’s frown as he speaks, “Anything for (Y/N), you know?” He sees that you are staring at him with admiration, your mutual tension eases as your eyes connect, “This day should’ve happened a long time ago.”

You kiss his chin, facing your friend again, and note her sad discomfort, “We’ll meet up in fifteen minutes? Have a girl’s day?”

Ivelisse steps into your space, leaning in to kiss your cheek, and responds, “Anything for you, mami. Fifteen minutes it is.”


	9. Chapter 9

“I made sure to arrange an appointment.” Bayley takes your mission seriously, giving you directions to the bridal shop, “You should have all their attention.”

“Thank you.” You smile over at her, dealing as calmly as you can with Las Vegas traffic. Glancing back in the rear-view mirror, you try to catch Ivelisse’s attention; yet she continues to stare out the window, “See, everything’s gonna work, Ive.”

“Yep, sounds like you have the troops in order.”

You can tell her smile is forced by her tone, and it nearly breaks you. Ivelisse is one of the only women that you have ever been close to; she’s like a sister to you, and you can’t understand how she can be here if she’s not ready to support you. You decide to save the questioning for later and park outside the bridal boutique. Bayley is all bright smiles as she asks you, “Are you ready?”

“I think so.” You nod, anxious all of the sudden, and glance back at Ivelisse who is already getting out of the car. Touching Bayley’s arm, you give her a bright smile, “Thank you for all your help, Bayley.”

“Well, while we’re thanking each other,” Bayley waits to hear Ivelisse’s door close then whispers, “Thanks for making the team with me and Solomon…he’s amazing.”

“Yeah, he kinda is, isn’t he?”

You hop out of the car with her, the three of you heading inside and being immediately greeted by two grinning women, who ask for the bride. When you lift your hand a little, one of them ushers you to the dresses and the other gets your girls seated on a plush white couch, loosening them up with glasses of wine.

“Do you have any idea what style you’re looking for?”

You swallow hard. It hits you hard that you have no clue. Unlike women who have had months to plan, you have no idea what styles there are or what you want. You hate how emotional you suddenly feel and ask for the nearest restroom; the woman gestures down a small hallway and you rush into the personal bathroom. It is beautiful marble, and it continues to remind you that you are in lavish Las Vegas to marry someone. You know you have no right to be sad, because you never thought you would even marry.

You lean against the sink, unsure why the sob comes out. You are in love with Jon and would sacrifice anything for him. However, the idea that you would have not one damn thing that was traditional, the things little girls dream about, stings more than you’d like to admit.

 _Knock, knock._  You turn on the water, trying to hide your outburst, and call out, “Just a minute.”

“Open the door, (Y/N).” Ivelisse’s voice is firm, telling you she will not argue nor leave.

You dab your cheeks, move to open the door, and step aside for her to enter.

“You know it’s very mean to make your friend chase you on crutches.” She leans slightly against the sink where you were at as you press your back against the door, trying to hide your face, “…I’m struggling here, (Y/N). On one hand, I should be your ride or die. Down for whatever, which is why I’m here. On the other, you and I know that this happened so damn fast you haven’t had a chance to do the girl thing – to make plans and fuss.”

“It’s stupid. I shouldn’t even want that.” You feel stupid for the tears beginning to fall again, knowing now what her problem is, “Especially when my best friend doesn’t really support what I’m doing.”

“Don’t make me the bad guy, honey. I’m here. I can disapprove until I’m blue in the face because this guy has essentially ripped you away from me; but it makes no difference. You are in love with him, and—I am going to be there no matter what.” She waits for your eyes to meet hers, awarding you a gentle smile, “What you have to ask yourself is—are you really ready to be all wifey’d up?”

“I can’t let him down again, Ive. I can’t. I won’t.” You see her ‘that is not what I asked’ look and sigh, suddenly determined, “Is it perfect? No. Could we wait? Probably. But the truth is—I will never love anyone the way that I love Jon…that’s not going to change whether I marry him today or two years from now.” You wipe your cheeks, filling your lungs with air, “I don’t even know why I’m crying or acting like a girl right now. I am marrying my man today, no matter what.”

Ivelisse smiles, her eyes tearing up, “You’re getting married.”

“I’m getting married!”

“You’re getting married!” Ivelisse opens her arms, and you step into her arms; the two of you begin to cry, both certain now about the huge step you’re taking today.

———————————-

“Could you give us a minute?” You shoo the ladies with politest smile you can muster then turn to your girls, huffing as you stand on the pedestal, “I hate every dress they’ve given me! What am I up to? Ten! I think I should’ve just went with Jon’s jean idea.”

“Stop it!” Bayley comes up to you, messing with the bottom of the dress and looking to the mirror again, “You look like a princess! Beautiful!”

“I don’t wanna look like a princess! I wanna look like me!” You huff, realizing how spoiled you sound and look to Ivelisse who sits on the couch, “What do you think?”

“It is very fairytale.” Her attempt to make the elaborate gown tolerable makes you want to run to the bathroom again. She notes this, maneuvering herself onto her crutches, and signals everyone to give her a minute.

You rip the little gemmed tiara from your hair and step down from the pedestal; you fall onto the couch with a huff, covering your face, “What am I gonna do? I told Jon this was one of the demands! I’m failing at it.”

“(Y/N), get your ass in the dressing room!”

“No!” You yell back at Ivelisse, chuckling with Bayley and sipping on her wine, “I’m done!”

Ivelisse calls out to you again as one woman rushes out, in search of something, “Do it now before I beat your ass with my crutches!”

You finish off her glass, getting Bayley’s hand to stand again in the awkward dress, and head back to the room to find the woman holding another dress. You step inward, just wanna to escape the Disney disaster, and sigh in relief when she helps you out of the material.

“Now, this dress is a little more traditional, but…maybe it’s more the style you’re looking for.”

You look back at Ivelisse who gives a small nod, and you step into the new dress. Immediately, you love that it is not huge. As the assistant pulls the dress up and around your curves, the material fitting you like a glove, you watch as she zips up the back and everything you wanted is suddenly on you. The dress is simple, only a lace pattern over the white silk. The pattern is not elaborate, leaving spaces for just the material to shine through, and a small gem sash hugs just beneath your breasts, accented your chest but modestly. The lace sleeves cup your shoulders, and you are instantly overcome with happy tears. You are pissed that you can’t control yourself.

Ivelisse grins, goal accomplished, and walks back to the room with Bayley, announcing, “She’s coming out!”

You take a deep breath, slightly lifting the dress, and head back out, hearing Bayley gasp at the sight of you. Stepping up to see the gown from all angles, you feel like the dress is beautiful until the other assistant places the Spanish style veil on your head – then the dress is perfect.

———————————- 

You tell the makeup artist and hairstylist to keep your look simple; Bayley in a sage colored gown and Ivelisse wearing a chocolate which compliments her tan. In another hour, you would be married, and you were fine now. Everything was in order, including the tension with Ivelisse – vanished.

You nervously rub your freshly manicured fingernails across each other, trying to find a point of focus to fidget rather than become too consumed with thought, “Do you think everything’s going okay with the guys? Especially Jon? You don’t think Solomon’s going to talk him into a tuxedo shirt, do you?”

“Angelico is not gonna let that happen. I promise you.” Ivelisse’s confidence caused you to smile bright, and she knows what you’re going to say so she narrows her eyes in the mirror where your eyes connect, “Yes, you were right.”

Before you can respond, your phone signals a message; relief washes over you as Jon’s name pops up,  _you getting nervous?_

Taking in a deep breath, your eyes wander the room and take in the chaos,  _No, just want everything to be perfect._

Another message,  _you wouldn’t believe how many times that suit guy accidentally touched my junk while getting it adjusted._

 _You should’ve told him to keep his hands off what’s mine_. You add a smiley face, and you literally want to kiss and hug him.

The next message,  _don’t send me shit like that, and I can’t just take you in the next room to have my way with you._

His text message makes your blood pump a little faster, and you know you are fully ignoring your guests at this point;  _I will be having my way with you tonight, soon-to-be-husband._

One last message back,  _Promises. Promises._


	10. Chapter 10

Your heart pumps so fast you aren’t certain you’ll make it down the aisle. With deliberate breaths, you try to listen to the hotel coordinator who guides the three of you through a secluded back area to corner of the hotel where the ceremony is going to take place.

“Well, the gentlemen are positioned at the altar with the marriage officiant; we’ve gone with the red roses as requested, and…” She hands you a bouquet of red and white roses, gems hidden in the center of the white roses, “If there is anything else you could possibly want at this time, I was told by your fiancé to make it happen.”

Your eyes shoot to hers, a smile registering her words; Jon wants this to be perfect – for you.

“So, what else can I do to make this wedding everything you’ve ever dreamed of?”

“Don’t mess up your makeup, Mami.” Ivelisse sees the tears building up in your eyes and hooks her arm in yours, “We just need to get her to her man.”

Bayley follows suit with Ivelisse, hooking your opposite arm with hers, “Ready?”

You give a firm nod, allowing them to lead you out and down the aisle. Blinking once, you mentally pray you have made the right decision and everything will work out as it’s supposed to. When your eyes pop open, you instinctively find bright blue and, suddenly, your footing feels even again. His gaze tells you how madly in love with you he is; you know there is nothing more important to him than you.

Jon’s hair is slicked back; his muscled body complimented in a dark navy suit with a crisp white shirt and silk navy tie; and a small, mesmerized smile crosses his lips.

When you are finally standing before him, the mixed tradition carries on. Bayley takes Solomon’s side near Jon while Ivelisse takes Angelico near yours. Finally, your hands are safely clasped within his as you stand under a little archway in a candlelit garden, surrounded by red rose arrangements through the rest of the area.

The ceremony is a blur to you, all you can focus on is his hands and making sure that the platinum band you had made for him – inscribed with  _somehow, some way_  - makes it onto his finger _._  You flash the words at him, reciting your vows before sliding it over his knuckle and snug around his finger.

When Jon gets to slip your platinum band onto yours, you release a breath you were not aware you had been holding in and you are pronounced, “Husband and wife.”

Jon cups your face gently, savoring the happy breath you let out, as he dips down to catch your lips with his; again, you start to feel solid – with him, everything is as it is supposed to be.

 ———————————-

After pictures, drinks, and a small secluded reception, Jon finally gets you all to himself; you wave goodbye as Jon throws you over his shoulder and Ivelisse calls out, “That’s not how you carrying her over the threshold, Moxley!”

He sets you on your feet when you step onto the elevator, immediately pressing your back against the wall when he has pressed the button for your floor. Your arms come around him, and you are higher than you’ve ever been – knowing that neither of you have reason to run anymore.

When you receive the signal of your floor, you push him back but grab his tie and lead him off the elevator, biting your lower lip. Before you can make it to your suite, Jon does as Ivelisse hinted downstairs and scoops you into his arms.

“It’s tradition…should probably listen to your bridesmaid.” Jon states, carrying you purposefully to your suite, and signals towards his pocket, “You might wanna grab the room key though.”

You do as told, using the keycard when you’re close enough, and push the knob down as well as the door forward; Jon kicks the door closed, and you expect to feel the floor beneath your floor. He doesn’t put you down, even as you gasp at the lavish suite which is dressed in variations of white, tan, and gold. You want to explore but realize Jon isn’t letting go despite your arms falling from around him, “This is beautiful.”

“There’s only one thing I care about right now.” Jon maneuvers his lips under your veiled mane and to your neck, “Don’t forget some promises you were making to me earlier today.”

“Babe, you don’t wanna look at any of this before—”

“Not one damn thing other than my wife.” Jon husks against your throat, teeth grazing your skin before nipping at a small bit of skin, “I want to hear my wife moan, beg, and whatever else I can get her to do once she’s out of her dress.”

You face him, aroused by the lust and love laced in his darkened stare, and kiss his lips again, stroking his soft, straightened hair. You manage to kick off your heels before Jon gets you into the bedroom and sets you down. Careful, you remove your veil and set it upon one of the two cushy chairs in the room; Jon’s suit jacket ends up on the other. Your fingers somewhat play with your hair as you sweep its romantic curls to one side and turn your back to him.

The zipper comes down with agonizing patience, and you look to the bed that looks plusher than a cloud (silently thankful that headboard was cushioned). When his fingers slide under the material hugging your shoulders, your eyes shut as he slides it off and begins to plant pillow soft pecks along the skin.

“Okay, I want to keep this so give me just a second.” You manage to get yourself away from him, stepping out of your dress and gather it carefully to lay it across the same chair. Standing in a white corset and matching panty set, you turn to him with swelled confidence but say nothing.

Jon wrinkles his brow a little as you move to the bed and take a seat on the edge, crossing a leg over the other and leaning back on your elbows. When he yanks off his tie, tossing it with no care, your breath quickens, and he moves to pull apart the shirt – having no time to mess with buttons. When it falls from his body, you notice his bare feet and use your index finger to signal him to come forward to you.

When Jon comes to a stand in front of you, your hands travel along his torso as his hands snake into your hair and you pull the last bit of clothing down his thick muscles to leave him perfectly nude in front of you.

Before you can show him any appreciation, he’s gathered your face in his hands and made sure you were hypnotized by the melody of his lips so that he can unzip the corset and toss the material over his shoulder. You can’t help but chuckle at his expression as he does so, pulling away and stepping aside to lift your legs and get the last material free from your body; the whole time he looks incredibly impatient both with the work he has to do and with himself – he has no clue where to start with his new wife.

You shake your head as he stares down at you, still amused as you remind him, “I’m not going anywhere, Jon. We have all the time in the world.”


End file.
